Talk About Rock Music

As we reported to you a couple of months back, The London Astoria is closing down and has announced its final party before the doors are closed forever.

This iconic venue is being closed to make way for the Crossrail Project.  Metro, another venue, is also being closed.

I am sure you will all join me in my sadness that this brilliant building and club is closing.  There have been many artists that have played here over the years including some really big names like Nirvana, Rage Against The Machine and Pearl Jam.

What is even worse is that the last night is not going to be rock night but instead will be a rock and dance fusion with Ibiza’s club, Manumission Comes To London.

Acts have not been announced yet but will be announced in the New Year.  As much as I love the Astoria, I don’t think  I can bring myself to bee at the closing of the venue when it is not being given a proper send off with a night of live rock bands.

Farewell Astoria.  You will be missed.

Bands are finding new ways to get their music heard.  With CD sales down and online purchasing on the increase each year, there seems to be less and less ways of getting your music out there and into the ears of eagerly awaiting music fans.  However, Metallica have chosen a different path to go down.

Fan Art of the Guitar Hero Metallica Game

Guitar Hero Metallica is going to be released at some point in the first half of next year and can be played using the guitar or in band mode in various well known venues all over the world.  With 28 Metallica songs and a few from other bands such as Foo Fighters, Queen and Alice in Chains, a new expert+ difficulty level and Metallica themed attacks, this looks set to be a big seller in 2009.

In a recent interview discussing the new game that has taken the world by storm, Lars Ulrich said,

“I was first introduced to Guitar Hero in my house about a year ago by my kids.  They became big fans of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath and all the bands I grew up on. It seemed like this was the first video game that really brought the family together. We were all sitting there and we were all sharing it. It wasn’t something that was just about the person playing, it was about everybody. It became a collective thing.”

“Certainly, as I have seen with my kids, it is a way to get kids passionate and involved in music.  In between arguing with them about homework and vegetables and whatever else, I can say, ‘Hey, look, maybe you are thinking Dad is a complete dork, but he’s got his own video game.’ And at least that’s worth something.”

Guitar Hero Metallica will be hitting our stores next year and will be available at all major retail outlets.

In 2011, superstar rockstars Pearl Jam will have been together for a whopping 20 years!  I know, makes you feel old does it not?  To celebrate this outstanding achievement, they are going to be running a two year capmaign, that is twenty four months of marketing and they will be releasing and fantastic dleuxe re-issued edition of Ten.  There will be four different ones to collect and fans of the band can pre-order them at the Pearl Jam web site from March 24th 2009.

But which version do you get if you can’t afford all four?  This should help you decide.

Legacy Edition - this is going to contain 2 cds which will be the origianl copy of Ten which has been remastered and a new and remixed version of it by producer Brendan O’Brien.  This will also include 6 additional songs titled Just A Girl, 2,000 Mile Blues, State of Love and Trust, Brother, Breath and Scream and Evil Little Goat.

Deluxe Edition - This will be the same as the Legacy Edition but will include a dvd of MTV Unplugged which was recorded in 1997 and has never been released before.

Vinyl Edition - this is going to be the vinyl versions of the original but digitally remastered version of Ten and and new remixed version.

Super Deluxe Edition - This is the same as the Deluxe Edition AND the Vinyl Edition but with just a couple of extras.  There will be an addition vinyl which is the live version of the Drop In The Park gig in Seattle from back in 1992, a replica of the origianl demo cassette, a print from the Drop In The Park gig and lots of other bits and pieces!

I know which one I want but prices haven’t yet been released so we’ll see.  I may start saving now!!

Has it finally happened?  After the last 2 -4 albums being awful with no catchy riffs, big chorus and general rocking out, Bon Jovi are writing the new album which is going to be rock music.  I will wait and see on that one.  Having been a big Bon Jovi fan for some amount of years and after having seen them many times in concert, I feel I can be open in voicing my opinion and ask “Where did the real Bon Jovi go?”

Their first few albums were fantastic with some real sleeze rock, big riffs and amazing songs but they seemed to sell out to the pop culture.

Jon recently posted on the Jovi fan site.

“I spent August getting fat and lazy, not wanting to even think about work. It lasted until September when that knock came to my door and to my head. It said ‘write you fool, Richie is bored and you are not the stay at home kind of dad as all of the neighbors are’. So, I went off to Los Angeles and we started. As of now we’re 12 songs into it. I’m very pleased. In case you’re wondering, it’s a rock record. A big loud one. John Shanks is set to produce again and we’ll begin the demo process right after I ship the reindeer and sleigh back to the attic, I mean North Pole.”

After the recent controversy with the fan club, Bon Jovi really need to be back on top of things and keeping the fans happy or they will fizzle out altogether.  their die hard fans are falling in numbers, including myself and it’s about time they give something back.  Like writing songs that we fell in love with them for would be a good start.  The second improvement should really be to the fan club.  Charging fan club members over $300 per fans only concert is absolutley disgraceful.  And thats only the start of it.  If you want to read a lengthy article on it, with some interesting fan comments, check out The Screen Door.

After browsing the itnernet today to check out the latest news and see if there was anything worth writing about or reporting on, I came across a blog about 30 Seconds to Mars.  I wouldn’t say I am their biggest fan but I do like their music and I do listen to the album every so often.  Plus, I used to be obsessed with “My So Called Life” which was an American teen show on at tea time a few years back that I was addicted to purely because of Jared Leto, so whenever I see any news about them, I tend to go and have a read.

It was a fairly straightforward post with a quote from Jared speaking out about record labels and how they want bands to work for free and the labels make fortunes from them.  This follows on from a story that their record label is suing them for over $400b.

I then started reading the coments that people were writing and I must say, I was shocked.  I though it would be all from people backing the band and having a go at the record labels or people defending the labels decisions in music promotion.  Boy did I get it wrong.  It was full of comments from people who hated the band and wished horrible and unspeakable things upon them and everyone who likes them.  Now I am all for having an opinion but surely it needs to be expressed in a clear, concise and non offensive way.  After all, you can voice you opinion but you shouldn’t exepct everyone to agree with you.  I am not going to repeat any of the comments in this post but just comment on the fact that I cannot believe that people can write such ignorant, immature and in my opinion, completely uneducated comments.

If you wish to see what I am talking about, follow the link below but be warned.  If you are easily offended, hate swearing of any kind or have/know someone with a life threatening illness, then please take caution.

Kerrang post on 30 Seconds to Mars

OK guys and girls.  They have announced the UK leg of the tour!!  Here are the Nickelback UK 2009 tour dates as promised.

22nd May 2009 Manchester Evening News Arena
22nd May 2009 SECC Glasgow
26th May 2009 National Indoor Arena, Birmingham
28th May 2009 O2 Arena London

As far as I can see, tickets have not gone on sale yet but they will probably be the usual vendors like Ticketmaster and See Tickets but I’ll come back with more information when I have it later on.

The support acts have not yet been announced either but if they are half as good as the support for the US tour, we are in for a treat!!  Seether and Saving Able will be helping the boys jeer up the crowd.

So, for those of you going to the UK leg of the Dark Horse Tour next year, what do you want to see the boys perform and what is your favourite live song by them to date?

I hope you don’t mind but I am going to get on my high horse now and have a disgruntled rant at the music industry.  We have recently been writing about a few reunions of some old school, classic rock acts.  It’s no wonder these old bands are doing so well at the moment.  It has been my opinion for a long time that the music that is coming out today is a pile of ****.  Please feel free to fill in the blanks.  There seems to be no distinction between the artists that are hitting the market like there were way back when.  It would appear that the money makers in the industry are dictating what we can and can’t listen to.  They see a type of music that consumers like and then churn out another 20 or so bands that all sound exactly alike.  And it doesn’t stop there.  Their competitors have their own sound-alike artists so our music shop shelves are full of the same drivel day in day out.

Can you name a new band who will ever be a legend like these?

Gone are the days when a new artist hit the radio stations and did extremely well for being different.  Also gone are the days when a new band could get their cd to a record company and make it big.  The rule of thumb now is, do you sound like anyone else?  If the answer is no, you don’t have a chance in hell.

So while we are listening to the same sames everyday ojn the radio while the big cats get rich off their musical ignorance and indifference, there are actually talented bands and musicians out there who could give us all a refreshing change but who will never get that big break they so thoroughly deserve.

My recommendation?  Get recording.  Lay those tracks down on a cd, send them off for CD replication, sell them yourself at gigs and get your music heard.  Put your tracks up on social networking sites such as myspace, bebo and facebook.  There are also hundreds of tv talent and radio talent shows out there that are really supporting the new music coming through where you can actually be an individual.  Local radio stations are good at raising awareness in a small area.  If you are lucky enough to have interest from a record company, before signing ANYTHING, sign up with a music lawyer who will get you the best deal.  Make sure you look into the contract and find out how much of you they own.  Do you have to wear what they say, sing what they say and do all the songs you write become part of their empire or do you keep the copyright?

The biggest thing to remember is, don’t become a sell out and do what they tell you to do.  Don’t become one of the mindless bands and artists that just follow the money makers and have a limited amount of time in our charts before we all get bored and move onto the new craze.

Green Day are taking a new direction with their new album.  But for all you Green Day lovers who don’t want them to change because they are fantastic as they are, you have no need to pani.  The new album is being produced by non other than Butch Vig!!  (For those of you too young to remember, he was the producer of a band called Nirvana.  If you don’t know who they are, Google them and then slap yourself for being that ignorant!)

The new album is going to be taking a “power pop” direction but I think we can safely say that it won’t be the usual stuff that we are hearing at the moment.  As of yet, we have no idea about any of the songs, what they are called or what they are about but Billie Joe Armstrong, (he’s the singer if you didn’t know!) has been making comments about it.  I have replaced the profanities with the word “fluffing” but you get the idea!

“I really like fluffing with arrangements.  I always try to look at the possibilities of how you write power-pop music.  How do you take something - and it could be anything from The Creation and The Who to The Beatles to Cheap Trick to The Jam - and try to expand on the idea of what is supposed to be three-chord mayhem?  How do you do it in a way where the arrangements are just unpredictable? So I’m pushing myself to be progressive in songwriting and being a songwriter.”

He then spoke about working along side Vig.

“He doesn’t take for granted what we have here but he uses everything to the best of his knowledge and the best of his ability.  I mean, he gets psyched on a fluffing microphone! That’s inspiring. That’s amazing. He’s not a cheerleader type of producer; he’s just a very hard-working, straightforward guy.  He’s very Midwestern, too. For example, he’ll turn around when you’re working on something and just go, ‘That’s badass.’ And you’re like, ‘What do you mean, ‘badass?’ Is that more bad, or is it, like, ass?’”

We can’t wait to hear what they come up with, and if you have any more info on it, please let me know.

I simply had to share this with everyone as I have never seen anything like it before.  For all of you who are unable to stream music videos at work or at school, some extremely talented computer person has built an AC/DC video into an Excel spreadsheet!

I can already hear your gasps of disbelief but I swear this is 100% true.  I have checked this out myself and it is truly amazing.  It hasn’t been taken from an official video as far as I can make out and has been made from fan art but it is still brilliant to watch.

The Rock N Roll Train video features a short version of the song but it does work really well.  If you can get through the people watching your every move at work and have the volume on low or plug in your headphones, it is well worth the viewing time.

All you need to do is download the Excel spreadsheet and follow the instructions.  It is as simple as that.  If you can’t view the video in Excel, I have posted a video of it below but I recommend trying to view the real thing first.

I can hardly wait to see what Mr. Excel Video Guy comes up with next but I’ll bet it is worth waiting for!

Let me know what you think of it. . . .

I have done it again.  I do it every year.  I have lost my christmas Rock album.  I am really annoyed about it.  You know what it is like.  You move your music from your laptop  to your pc.  You and up getting a new pc and transferring it all across.  Well, something keep sgoing wrong and I have lost my entire Christmas rock collection so I need to download it all again.  Lucky for me I have discovered discount codes so I should be able to replace it all relatively cheaply.

Hopefully I should be able to get replacements for them all so that will be my weekend this weeknd.  What an exciting life I lead!  So far, I have got:

Twisted Christmas - Twister Sister
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Oh Come All Ye Faithful
White Christmas
I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Silver Bells
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Deck The Halls
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
Heavy Metal Christmas
Jingle Bells- Skid Row
I’ll Be Home for Christmas - Twisted Sister with Lita Ford 5. White Christmas - Queensryche
Run Rudolph Run - L.A. Guns
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree - Firehouse
Naughty Naughty Christmas - Danger Danger
Silent Night - Faster Pussy cat
Christmas Love - Billy Idol

and of course the obvious Slade and more well know songs.

Can anyone else think of any more that I need to add?